Building Nature Through Solar

The climate is changing rapidly as a result of fossil CO² emissions and biodiversity in rural areas has declined at a furious pace due to intensive and monocultural land use involving the use of chemicals. Smartland views the energy transition as an opportunity to simultaneously restore nature, soil quality and landscape coherence. Based on this conviction, we developed the Building Nature Through Solar (BNTS) principle: biodiverse solar parks that not only generate sustainable energy but also function as ecological building blocks in the landscape.

These so-called eco-PV projects combine solar energy with extensive and nature-inclusive land use. Through appropriate design, planting, and management, solar parks can develop into flower-rich habitats for insects, birds and small mammals, while simultaneously allowing living and resilient soils to regenerate. In this context, solar panels function not only as technical objects but also as landscape elements that - comparable to trees - create microclimates through shade, shelter and variations in temperature and moisture. This offers opportunities for biodiversity, soil restoration, and climate-robust landscapes.

Smartland has designed approximately twenty biodiverse solar parks in The Netherlands and abroad. In every project, we seek careful landscape integration and opportunities to strengthen regional green-blue structures. We design the positioning of panels, transformers, and batteries in relation to the landscape and sightlines, develop specific herb-rich vegetation and select native shrubs and trees that add both ecological and landscape value. Where appropriate, we integrate recreational routes, resting areas and communication regarding energy, ecology and soil restoration. This results in solar parks that not only produce energy but also contribute to biodiversity, landscape quality and societal acceptance of the energy transition.